Jennifer Piette – Creating a Buzz on Campus

Pollinator Observation Garden

The next time you walk out of the Franklin Pierce University Bookstore you may notice
a small marker and an inviting slate walkway, both leading the way to the University’s
Pollinator Observation Garden.

This garden sprouted from the vision of Franklin Pierce University Environmental Sciences
Major Jennifer Piette last spring when she decided to build the garden as part of
her sustainability certificate requirement. To her, this project was more than just
a requirement, “It is a way to make a difference in the alarming issue of pollinator
decline.” Her vision was to create a campus garden that would be both aesthetically
pleasing and supportive of native pollinators such as butterflies, bees and moths.
“The importance of pollinators is not just so that flowers in a person’s garden can
reproduce.” Piette said. “Their importance is to sustain agricultural productivity,
which is necessary to provide food for the human population and effects the economy.”

The vitality of the country’s honeybees and other pollinator species has been a subject
of concern for the past decade. A combination of stressors, such as pests, insecticides,
and winter starvation has led to a condition called colony collapse in hive dwelling
species. Crops that depend on pollinators account for up to one-third of total U.S.
food consumption, according to a recent study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pollinators
are also crucial to sustaining biodiversity.

Dr. Emi Knafo, DVM, DACZM of Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
has been leading the movement to educate veterinarians as well as the general public
to the importance of pollinators. Dr. Knafo shared that “Pollinators have 2 basic
requirements: housing and food. Therefore, providing nest sites for a variety of bee
species and planting pollinator gardens can help to support these insect populations
(bees, butterflies, flies). Co-evolution of pollinator and plant means that a variety
of native flowers are best for these gardens. The deliberate planting of pollinator
gardens is extremely important in landscapes where native flora have been displaced
by expanses of grass lawns, monoculture fields, and asphalt. These micro habitats
can help support local pollinators and also improve the aesthetic appeal of an environment.
Of course, it’s also important to avoid the use of pesticides in such gardens.”

To fulfill this goal, Jennifer used the sustainability project to her advantage; “I
had big plans for the pollinator garden and while there were some restrictions in
the process, I am happy that most of my goals were reached.”

Piette built two structures from scratch, a large insect house and a small insect
house. These shelters are habitats for tunnel or cavity nesting and solitary bees.
“Most people don’t even realize that not all bees live in a hive with a queen. Catering
to the needs of solitary nesting bees is very important because approximately 90%
of the world’s 20,000 bee species are solitary.”

These structures provide bees to quickly, and easily create a place to lay an egg
and store food. In addition, “I provided plenty of food sources for all pollinators
(bees, butterflies, moths, bats, hummingbirds, flies, and beetles) by planting flowers
that are attractive and produce pollen or nectar.” The pollinator garden leads both
human, and pollinator, visitors to the vegetable garden and a pre-existing wildflower
plot.

Jennifer’s plans for the garden is to install a ‘mason bee box’ in early spring when
mason bees become active. She has also made signs (awaiting placement) to learn about
the structures and the importance of pollinators. “I’m currently working with Verna
Delauer and her FYI class to spread awareness and potentially expand upon the garden.”
“Education is very important to combatting the decline in pollinators.,” said Piette,
“Students can use the structures I’ve built to observe bee behavior and compare variances
in nesting characteristics.”

“My main hopes for this project, and others like it, are for more awareness and interest
to be brought to them, as well as making a positive influence on the student body
and on the biodiversity of pollinators.” Student involvement is a great way to make
a difference in ecological issues.